Whispers of the Tide

Burning Desire

Serene’s POV:

When I had run from the Captain I knew he was angry beyond measure. I did not have time to explain myself and my confidence in my skills to him.

Leaping into the water, I could sense Talain and the royal guard approaching. I started heading North East away from the ship at a regular pace, knowing that they would not be far behind.

That was until I felt and heard the tremors of cannons firing into the water.

My heart leapt into my throat, could they be attacking Connor and his crew? I wasted no time turning around and heading back at full speed. I slowed down enough to see the guard climbing up the sides of The Black Soul. 

I needed to lead them away. I needed to think.

I looked around to see what I could find to help cause a distraction, when I noticed my tail glittering in the sunlight that filtered through into the water. 

My fin was an almost pearly silver and in some lights it looked almost like a mixture of purple and turquoise. 

I looked up again and spotted the Commander of the guards. Commander Mavrick, he was a decent man. I had grown up with him in my mothers army. He was loyal and hard working, I know he would not want any harm to come to me and he was probably worried. 

Right now he was looking conflicted, shouting orders to finish off the pirates. He was a true believer in orders and never liked straying from his commands so perhaps Connor had attacked first. My father would have ordered him to find me, and I know he would not want to waste too much time on the pirates unless he had to.

I moved my fin into the sun more and flicked it so it caught the rays, reflecting them in the commander's direction.

Just as I saw his head start to turn in my direction I swum off. Fast enough he would not catch me, and slow enough that I was sure he had spotted me.

I heard him yelling commands to fall back and pursue me. It had worked.

I had not seen Talian anywhere but I knew he was here. He would not want to waste time if he knew I was near. The opportunity to grease up to my father by returning me to him would be at the forefront of his mind.

I turned my head slightly to catch a glimpse of how far behind they were. They were close.

The Commander was calling to me to stop and let him take me home.

I needed to lose them.

Using my speed I pushed myself to go faster. I darted in zigzags to lose them in the expansive ocean. I then swum in an ark to head back South East away from the coast line Connor would be following. The small group of islands that was back that way would be the perfect place to loose them. I turned my head again and this time I recognised Talian at the front of the charge. In fact he was well ahead of the guards. How was he so fast all of a sudden? He had a crazy grin on his face as he gained on me. My shock working against me.

“Angel, I've missed you. Come home with me.” He called.

The islands were right up ahead, I needed a plan.

Just as I approached a reef on the outskirts of the islands my shark friend swam up on my left keeping pace with me, she nudged my side a few times  then darted off to the left and into a crevice in the rocks.

I followed. It was a maze of coral and rock formations that she navigated with ease. I needed to keep my wits about me, I could not lose focus and injure myself on the sharp coral. I had no idea If Talian was still following or not.

We reached a wider opening in the rocks and the shark stopped  and turned to face me. The sudden stop almost had me crashing into her. 

I looked around to make sure we were safe. It seemed as though he had not been followed. 

I sank down on the sand to catch my breath. 

“You seem to know these caves pretty well. Thank you again for your help. You are like my very own guardian angel.

Will you be able to help me find the way out once they have gone?”

She nodded which did not surprise me. Ocean creatures were highly intelligent and as a royal, I had a special connection to all living in my realm. When I become queen it will be even stronger.

I closed my eyes to see if I could get Talian’s location. It did not take me long.

He was heading around the far side of the islands. 

“Ok, I believe the coast will be clear now.” I said to my friend.

She led me from the network of caves back out to the open ocean where I sped off in the direction of The Black Soul.

It was late afternoon when I made it back to the ship, It was docked in a quiet port in a sleep little town. This must be Banroke. 

I reached out to grab hold of a rope I could see hanging down the Starboard side. I gasped as my chest began to burn, but it only made me smile. It meant the pirate captain was ok.

I breached the surface and flicked my hair up over my head to hand down my back. I looked around to make sure the coast was clear before I started to climb.

I was tired and I was struggling to pull myself up. 

“Alright lads, you know the drill. Back before dawn!” I heard the captain order his crew.

I listened as they all cambered over the Port side and onto the docks. 

When the sounds of their laughter and jesting grew further away, I looked up to see a set of warm green eyes gazing down at me in wonder.

“A little help if you would not  mind, captain?” I smiled up at him

He looked down at the rope and quickly started pulling it up, and me with it. My naked body emerged from the water. My fin separating into my pale, lean legs.

I got to the railing and he held out his hand to help me over which I took without hesitation.

Sparks ignited across my palm where our hands touched. 

“Hermosa” he whispered, never taking his eyes off mine. “Beautiful.” 

“Ya scared me.” He said as he took my face in his hands.

His eyes searching mine. They seemed conflicted, holding a mixture of lust and caution in their golden depths.

My heart was beating out of my chest at his close proximity. I wanted to kiss him, but we shouldn't. I licked my lips at the thought and bit my bottom lip.

His eyes darted down to catch the action and they widened in response.

“f**k it” he said before his lips crashed into mine.

His lips moved against mine with a fire I never knew was possible. The heat from his touch, from his body scorched my skin on contact. My centre dampened in response.

I let out a moan of pleasure as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. My hands flew up into his hair, tangling my fingers in his long knots. 

The burning in my chest was growing more and more intense. But only this time it was a pleasurable burn, a burn that accompanied the throbbing between my legs. 

The heat began to spread across my chest towards my shoulders.

Suddenly there was a burst of bright white light and searing heat that exploded from between Connor and I. 

We pulled away from the kiss and I closed my eyes from the bright light and gripped Connor’s hair in my hands, too afraid to let go. He must have felt the same, as his hands had not left my face. 

Then it was gone.

I blinked a few times and looked back up at the pirate captain. 

“Well what the actual f**k was that mi cielito?” He questioned with a c****d brow, his thumb caressing my cheek. 

“I believe I was about to ask you the same thing.” I smiled

“Did you feel it too?”

“My chest was on fuckin fire if that’s what ya mean.”

I looked down at his chest. He had a white shirt on that was actually buttoned most of the way up only leaving the top two open.

I know he had tattoos but something looked different. I was about to unbutton his shirt to take a better look when he interrupted me.

“Serene, when the f**k did ya get a tattoo?” He asked, dropping his hands to my arms holding me back as if to see me more clearly. 

“I do not have a tattoo Connor.” I looked up to see him looking down at my chest, 

My hair was hanging over my shoulders covering most of my breasts and chest, but there was a light blue, glowing circle shape right in the middle of my chest just above my cleavage.

My eyes widened as I gathered my hair over to one side and threw it over my shoulder and out of the way. The glowing circle in the middle of my chest had two swirling lines swirling around each other in the centre. From the circle shape, intricate silver swirls made their way up and across my chest towards my shoulders. I had only ever seen this one time, In an ancient book I had read years ago. But it could not be. Surely it was impossible.

I looked up to see Connor still staring.

I looked back to his chest and ripped open the buttons of his shirt to reveal the same blue circle with spiraling centre and silver lines etched across his flesh. It completely mirrored mine.

My hand flew to my mouth.

“Soulmates.” I gasped.